Sunday Matinee: Harold Buttleman [Film]

“Buttleman (Hawkes, Winter’s Bone, The Sessions) is on the brink of TV stardom, a 3 am spot on the late night cable access, but the life of a daredevil stuntman is harder than it looks. Harold’s parents want him to move out of their basement and his girlfriend wants him to settle into a career selling bathtub parts. For Harold, it all depends on his big break. He gathers the entire town for his gala premiere celebration, but there’s a surprise in store. An offbeat comedy about following your dreams, and the finer points of being shot out of a cannon.” – October Coast PR

I have always loved John Hawkes. He is one of those guys who I don’t exactly follow, but I always excited to see show up the screen. I will never forget his brief, fatal, and eventually engulfed in flames performances as Benny of Benny’s World of Liquor in the greatest vampire film ever made, From Dusk Till Dawn. And his reasonably frustrated role on Eastbound and Down is brilliant. But, this is where we see John at his best. Right here in Harold Buttleman: Daredevil Stuntman.

I do have warn you dear readers, if you have any form of anxiety issues, this may be a tough film for you. This is do to the fact, which shouldn’t really be a spoiler, NOTHING goes right for this guy. It is a brilliant introspective into the world of a very naive human being who probably things the world is kinder than it really is, and shit just really doesn’t work out for him. But in all honesty, that is really what is most intriguing to me. It is a brilliant film with an absolutely amazing cast. John Hawkes is brilliant as he always is. But a HUGE shoutout has to go to Anita Barone who is an actress that NEEDS to be utilized more often. She was the lead actress in the sitcom that was unfairly ended far too early known as The War At Home, who’s cancellation was one of the dumbest decisions ever made by a studio. But, I digress, back to Buttleman. I really loved this film, for so many different reasons. But the main reason would have to be the “laugh at my pain” charisma that it provides, and the characters’ inability to accept the inevitable fate that they will eventually come to. I simply cannot recommend this brilliant indie film enough.

Harold Buttleman: Daredevil Stuntman will be available on iTunes, Amazon and Google Play Feb 2, 2018. Here is the trailer: